Artificial hand.



ROBERT D. MADDOX, F THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

ARTIFICIAL HAND.

i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented (1ct. 1, 1918.

Application led J' uly 25, 1918. Serial No. 246,732.

' ment in Artificial Hands, of which the following is a specification.

. The inventionV described herein may be used by the Goverment or any of its oHieers or employees in prosecution of work for the Government, or by any other person in the United States, without `payment of any royalty thereon. j t

"This invention generically relates to artificial body members; more specifically it.`

comprehends an improved construction of mechanica-l hand, designed to firmly grasp various objects, `and otherwise replace, in so.

far `as possible, themanifold functions of the amputated member. j One object of this invention is to produce an artificial hand of the simplertype, capable of rotary and angular adjustment depending upon the exigencies of the situation, and-havingv facilities for securely grasping a working implement or other object between its gripping components. Another object of this invention is to provide a cam actuated mechanism adapted to1firmly secure the movable gripping member of the hand in any desired position in the path of its movement. -Y t l p j Other objects of this invention are to simplify construction, `decrease the cost of production, and otherwise improve the present forms of artificialV hands.

With these and other objects in View, my

" invention consists in certain novel constructions, combinations Aand arrangements of parts to be more particularlylrereinafter set forth and claimed.V j f l Briefly stated this invention comprises a rotary and angularly adjustable shank, fixed claws at' the free extremity of the shank, a longitudinally movable claw coperating with the xed claws, and means to Iirmly secure the movable claw at any desired point in the path of itsfmovement.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which the corresponding parts areindicated by similar reference characters, A

Figure 1V isa tOp P1311 VeWf (DEDICATED T0 THE PUBLIC.)

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line 22 of Fig. l;

- Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2, in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the wrist plate;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary end elevation, illustrating the annular enlargement on the extremity of the same;

Fig. 6 is an endelevation of the shank with wrist plate removed. j

In the illustrated embodiment characterized in this invention, there is shown a mechanical hand A, embracing a shank 10, furcated at its extremities, the furcations terminating in inwardly and downwardly tapering gripping members, forming fixed claws 11, designed to coperate with a mov-` able claw 12, reversely curved and adjustably` positioned on the shank 10. yIn order to permit longitudinal adjustment of the movable claw 12 with respect to fixed claws 11',

said movable claw is secured to a carrier 13, comprising collars 14 and 14', slidably positioned on shank 10, and interconnected by a resilient bridge piece 15, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.v To fixedly secure the carrier 13-in any desired position on the shank 10,the collar 14 thereof is provided with a cam member 16 pivotally mounted as at 17. The pivoted extremity of lever 16 is formed with a cam 18 adapted to engage the contiguoussurface of collar 14, to which `the upper end of the movable claw 12 is rigidly afiixed. The other extremity of cam lever 16 is provided with a cam surface 19 designed to engage the curved back of claw 12. O viously. as the cam 1-8 `is brought to operative position, collars 14 and 14 are divergently separated which causes their inner edges to bite in the surface of shank 10, which retains the collar in its adjustable position. i At the same time, cam surface 19 on the free extremity of the lever, coming into engagement with claw 12, coperates with cam 18 to force claw 12 forward into engagement with the object gripped. This forward movement of the claw brings the heel thereof into biting engagement with shank l0, to assist in firmly locking said claw in adjusted position. Furthermore the frictional engagement of surface 19 with the claw 12 serves as a lock to maintain the lever in operative position and prevents its of this invention, namely the means aifordaccidental displacement. To assist in its.

The foregoing construction concludes what might be considered the gripping feature of L.

this improved form of artiiicial hand.

Coming now to another importantphase ing rotary as well as angular adjustment of the hand, upon referring to Fig. 2 of the drawing it will be seen this action is accomplished by providing a wrist plate 20, having an annular internally threaded iiange 21. This arrangement forms a seat for the base flange 22 of boss Boss 23 is formed with a longitudinal passage 24 into which projects the enlargement 25 of shank 10.'` This enlargement is pivotally` retained in position by pivot pin 26. A series of sockets 27 are formed in the periphery of enlargement 25 to receivethe stud- 28 of lug 29 concentrically positioned on the wrist plate 2l.l The lug29 is adapted to set in an annular-recess 30 `which communicates with 4the passageway 24 of boss 23.

VA winged nut 31 surrounding boss 23 `is externally threaded as at 32 for engagement with Hange 21, whereupon by simply screw ing the nut 31 a clamping action is obtained on the base of the boss, so that the latter may be-rotated or fixedly retained as occa*` sion may require. At the same time stud 28 being forced into socket 27, the shank 10 is Vmaintained in its adjustable annular position.

- If found to be advantageous, one of the Y' iiXed` claws 11 may be formed with a small hook 38, having various uses. For example, after the extremity of the claw has been passed through a buttoirhole, the hook may be caught at the edge of the' button-hole and l by a slight pullthe garment containing the button-hole may be removed from the' button.` Also the hook might be used in `opening or closing a purse, or in tyingor untying a shoe string, or turning the leaves of a book 4 and in many other useful ways.

Manifestly, from the preceding structure, to "utilize this artificial hand for the purposes indicated, it is only necessary to release the wing nut, rotate the shank sutliciently to impart the desired rotary and angular adjustment to the claw, and then tighten the nut again to permanently hold this adjustment. The object to be held is now positioned against the iixed claws, while the movable claw is advanced as far as possible. When this position has been obtained, the lever 16 is depressed, thereby forcing the movable claw into firm and unyielding engagement with the object, so as to hold the same firmly and securely in position.

As a precautionary measure against accidental displacement of the gripping claws after their rotary adjustment hasV been obtained, the abutting surfaces of base flange 22 and wrist plate 20, are provided with V an annular series of coacting tits and sockets 34 and 35, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 4 and G of the drawings.

Although in the foregoing I have delscribed certain elements as best adapted. to

perform the functions allotted to them, nevertheless it is to 'be understood that various minorfchanges as to form and the like may be resorted to without departing from and sacrificing any ofthe benefits of this invention. Having now describedmy invention, wha I claim is j 1. An artificial hand," comprising a pair of gripping members, one being longitudinally movable toward and from the other, means to secure the 'movable gripping member at any point inthe pathof its movement, and means to effect rotarj7 adjustment of the gripping member. j

2. An artificial hand, comprising a pair of gripping members, one being longitudinally movable toward and from the other, and

means to effect their rotary and angularadjustment. j

artificial hand,-comprising a pair of grippingmembers, one being longitudinally movable towardand from the other, means'to secure the movable member at any point in the path of its movement and means to eifect rotary and angular adjustmentl of said members.

4, An artificial hand, comprising a shank terminating ina fixed gripping member, a gripping member longitudinally adjustable on the shank, and means for effecting the angular and rotary-adjustment of said gripping members. j

f 5. An artificial hand, comprising a plurality of-fixed gripping claws, a movable claw adjustable toward and from the fixedelaws, and means of eiecting the rotary and angular adjustment of said claws.

G. An artificial hand, comprising a shank terminating in a plurality of iiXed gripping claws, a movable claw longitudinally adjustable toward and from the fixed claws, and means to effect the rotary and angular adjustment 'of said claws.

7. An artificial hand, comprising a shank terminating in a pluralityof fixed gripping claws, a carrier slidable on the shank, a gripping claw supported by the carrier and a cam device to effect `the frictional securement between carrier and shank.

8. An artificial hand, comprising a shank terminatingin a fixed gripping claw, a carrier slidable on the shank, a gripping claw supported by the carrier, a cam device to effeet frictional securement between'the carrier and shank, and means to rotatably and angularly adjust said gripping members.

9. An artificial hand comprising a shank terminating in a fired gripping claw, a carrier slidable on the shank and Vembodying resiliently connected collars, a gripping claw supported by the carrier, and cam device adapted to divergently separate said collars to eii'ect frictional securement between the latter and said shank.

l0. An artificial hand comprising a shank terminating in a xed gripping claw, a carrier slidable on the shank and embodying rcsiliently connected collars, a gripping claw supported by one of said collars, a cam device secured to the other collar and adapted to divergently separate said collars to eiect frictional securement between the latter and said shank, and means to rotatably and angularly adjust said gripping members.

11. An artificial hand, comprising a shank portion, an element adjustably mounted on the shank portion having a part adapted to frictionally engage said shank, and a canting device to elfect securement between said adjustable element and the shank.

l2. An artificial hand, comprising a shank portion, an element longitudinally positioned on the shank portion, and having a resiliently connected part adapted to frictionally engage said shank, and a canting device carried by the adjustable element and operable to eifect securement of the adjustable element on the shank.

13. In an artificial hand, the combination With the shank having a xed claw at one end and an annular enlargement, at the other, of a movable claw slidably mounted on the shank and operable toward and from the fixed claw, a rotatable anchoring member pivotally connecting the enlarged end of said shank, clamping means to engage said anchoring member, and additional means to 40 inter-lockingly engage the enlarged end of said shank.

14. An artificial hand, comprising a pair of gripping members, one being longitudinally adjustable toward and from the other, and means for effecting their rotary adjustment, substantially as described.

15. An artificial hand, comprising a pair of gripping members, one being longitudinally adjustable toward and from the other, and means for eecting their angular adjustment, substantially as described.

16. An artificial hand, comprising a pair of gripping members, one being longitudinally movable toward and from the other,

means to secure the movable gripping member at any point in the path ofi its movement, and means for eliccting the angular adjustment of the gripping member, substantially as described.

ROBERT D. MADDOX.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

